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as they have occasionally ferved to cover, or introduce the Talents of a skilful Minifter.

But your Abilities have not appeared only in one Nation. When it was your

Province to Act as Her

Majefty's Minister at the

Court of Savoy, at that time encamped, You accompanied that Gallant Prince thro' all the Viciffitudes of His Fortune, and fhared, by His Side, the Dangers of that Glorious Day in which He re

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covered His Capital. As far as it regards Perfonal Qualities, You attained, in that one Hour, the higheft Military Reputation. The Behaviour of our Minifter in the Action, and the good Offices done the Vanquished in the Name of the Queen of England, gave both the Conqueror and the Captive the most lively Examples of the Courage and Generofity of the Nation He reprefented.

Your

Your Friends and Companions in your Abfence frequentlytalk these things of You, and You cannot hide from us, (by the most difcreet Silence in any Thing which regards your felf) that the frank Entertainment we have at your Table, your eafie Condefcention in little Incidents of Mirth and Diverfion, and general Complacency of Manners, are far from being the greatest Obligations we have to

You.

You. I do affure You there is not one of your Friends has a Greater Sense of your Merit in general, and of the Favours You every Day do us, than,

SIR,

Your most Obedient, and

moft Humble Servant,

Richard Steele.

**

THE

SPECTATOR.

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VOL. VII.

474. Wednesday, September 3. 1712.

Afperitas agreftis & inconcinna.

Mr. SPECTATOR,

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Her.

EING of the Number of those that have lately retired from the Center of Bufinefs and Pleasure, my Uneafinefs in the Country where I am, arifes rather from the Society than the Solitude of it. To be obliged to receive and return. Vifits from and to a Circle of Neighbours, who through Diverfity of Age or Inclinations, can neither be entertaining or ferviceable to us, is a vile Lofs of Time, and a Slavery from which a Man fhould deliver himself, if poffible: For why must I lofe the remaining Part of my Life, because they have thrown away the former Part of theirs? It is to me an infupportable Affliction, to be tor mented with the Narrations of a Set of People, who are warm in their Expreflions of the quick Relifh of that Pleasure, which their Dogs and Horfes have a more delicate Tafte of. I do alfo in my heart deteft and abVol. VII.

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